VIJAYAWADA: The state water resources officials are set to strongly put forth their arguments for higher and assured share in Krishna water in the 14th Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) board meeting scheduled to be held at 11 am on Wednesday. The officials will also participate in the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) meeting that will be held in the evening after the KRMB’s meeting.
Besides discussing the water indents, the board meetings scheduled on Wednesday will be the first one in which both the state officials would be present after sparring over Rayalaseema Lift Scheme proposed by AP, the Centre announcing that it would take over all projects, not just the common ones, on both rivers, and unilateral, unauthorised power generation from common reservoirs by TS.
While Telangana has expressed discontent over the Centre’s notification, AP welcomed it with riders. Already, a coordination committee meeting for the implementation of the notifications was held in August, but Telangana gave it a miss.While Telangana has been seeking 50:50 ratio in Krishna water, AP has rejected the neighbouring state’s contentions and sought 70:30 ratio.
For the last five years, AP and TS have been sharing water in 66:34 ratio as per the working arrangement agreed by both the states in 2017. Over a dozen items have been added in the agenda for discussion, but the major contention would be on Krishna water sharing. AP has also informed the board that the latter does not have the authority to look into water allocations done by the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT)-I when the matter is sub-judice before KWDT-II.
Other critical issues that would be up for discussion include finalising organisation structure for the boards, budgetary allocations to the boards by both the states, diversion of Godavari water to Krishna basin, carry-over of unutilised share of water by Telangana to the next water year, utilisation and regulation of surplus water during the monsoon, shifting of the KRMB office from Hyderabad to Vizag.
Water resources secretary J Syamala Rao, engineer-in-chief (irrigation) C Narayana Reddy and other officials will participate in the meet.
‘Stop construction of unauthorised projects by TS’
Vijayawada: AP Water Users Associations Federation (APWUAF) has written a letter to KRMB chairman MP Singh on Tuesday requesting to protect the rights and interests of lower riparian state of Andhra Pradesh. Besides urging the board to stop the construction of “unauthorised” projects taken up by Telangana, it asked the board to take complete control of common reservoirs alone.
Bone of contention
Major contention will be on Krishna water sharing in today’s meeting
Telangana demand
50:50 ratio in Krishna water
Andhra Pradesh demand
70:30 ratio in Krishna water
66:34 ratio: AP-TS Water sharing for the last years
Other issues on the agenda
Finalising organisation structure for the boards, budgetary allocations to the boards by both the states, diversion of Godavari water to Krishna basin, filling up of vacant posts, carry-over of unutilised share of water by Telangana to the next water year, utilisation and regulation of surplus water during the monsoon, shifting of the KRMB office from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam